FURTHER to Malcolm Sturges letter "building up for the main event," how disappointing it must be for the folk of Wootton Bassett to only get the odd chance to play the Stagecoach Game.

We are on the Number 8 route from Freshbrook Swindon have the opportunity to play most mornings and usually for weeks at a time.

We even have the added bonus of a return play on the way home.

Those of us boarding at Freshbrook get the chance to place the longest, while those who try to join in at Toothill often have to wait until we have finished before the bus returns for them to play.

How happy they look, as we drive past, knowing that it will be their turn soon. October was fun. How we enjoyed splashing in the rain while we waited for the bus. Even more fun was had seeing how many wet bodies (with bags, briefcases, handbags, and brollies) could be squeezed onto the bus.

The notice near the driver says "No more than 19 standing".

We do try, but we just have not managed to fit 19 standing still we can always try again tomorrow. November has been good fun too.

We have enjoyed the opportunity to count the leaves as they fall, that is when we are not playing "how many buses can you count coming back the other way in the next 10 minutes?''.

Just occasionally Stagecoach goes and spoils it all by travelling in pairs, so we have to spread ourselves out and have only one person per seat.

We are eagerly looking forward to Christmas and winter after all it is no fun waiting for a bus if it is not cold, wet or windy.

CAROLE WOODCOCK

Cromwell

Freshbrook, Swindon